Quirkiest Glasses and Sunglasses Throughout History (Guest)

(Guest Post)

It’s now more in style than ever to wear unique and strange styles of glasses and sunglasses, thanks to the likes of celebrities like Lady Gaga, but did you know glasses have been dated as far back as 1200, and strange designs have been popping up ever since the upper classes started wearing them – wearing a unique design was a display of your wealth and fashion know-how! That means quirky and unique frames date back right into the Victorian era – long before Gaga started experimenting. We take a look through history, and examine some of the strangest styles:

Victorian Glasses and Sunglasses

These designs might make you think of Steampunk style, but they are in face genuine antique Victorian frames. Many of the surviving examples are silver alloys, and it was even trendy back then to wear glasses even if you didn’t need your vision correcting! (Victorian hipsters!)

The Victorians wore some strange styles, and lenses could be tinted in any colour from black to yellow – most often they were used to protect the eyed when shooting or riding on the train.

Mid Century

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Is seems that the idea of wearing weird glasses and sunglasses to look unique and show off your personality, isn’t such a new idea! These heart shaped frames look like they might have came from the 40s or 50s! Can you imagine anyone from that time wearing these?

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Or perhaps you’d rather wear these mid-century beauties instead? We’re not sure if they look like bug antennae or eyebrows, either way we imagine you’d look pretty silly trying to pull off this look!

Swinging 60s

We all know the 60s were a bit strange; they were experimental and a time when people were pushing the boundaries and looking towards the future. That meant a lot of strange, un-wearable fashion emerged, and sunglasses and glasses didn’t escape the trend. Which of these strange frames would you wear now?

Well, eyeliner was big in the 60s, so why not wear it on your glasses too?

60s Butterfly style glasses; could you see any modern celebrities wearing these?

We’ve seen a lot of trends for eyelash glasses recently, but none have looked anything like this…

All Images above from Design Catwalk.

Modern Times

As far as we can see, Lady Gaga is running the style stakes when it comes to weird and wonderful sunglasses; the Mickey Mouse style she wore in her Paparazzi music video launched an instant trend, and the alien glasses by Mugler (Bottom right) really got the world talking!

Flips Audio Headphones + Speakers Review

Oh noes! I went on vacation (*gasp*) and am super late with this review.

As much as I was crossing my fingers that I would get to review these, I was also wondering just how much I would end up using them. As a gamer, I end up using a headset a lot…but that means I’m using a device that has a microphone more often than a regular pair of plain headphones.

I'm also prone to getting headaches from big, bulky earphones, so I wanted to try them….but I also knew I may have to gift them away to someone else after I was done with the review, by no fault of theirs.

Instead, though, these turned out to be pretty awesome. I did have a friend try them, too, who is much pickier about sound quality than I am, just for the sake of making sure I wasn’t oblivious to any possible issues with them, and they were actually impressed!

Now I guess I really need to tell you the most important part about these headphones:

THEY ARE ALSO SPEAKERS!  

The whole idea before “flips” is that you can wear them as headphones and block out all the sound around you….and then with a flip of the earpieces, they face out and become speakers. No buttons to click. No swapping cords or sound devices in order to turn your speakers on instead. Just FLIP!

Again, I wasn’t sure how much I would use this feature because I already have a nifty little device that lets me swap out my cords quickly right on my desk (instead of on the back of my computer). Turns out, the weekend after I got these, though, I visited some friends and still had to work while I was with them, so I took a limited amount of equipment with me. I took these with me so I could try them out and sure enough, while I was listening to a video, I realized I wanted my friends to hear it. I didn’t have speakers to turn on for them, but I didn’t need them! I just flipped out the ear pieces and suddenly sound filled the room. They hadn’t seen anything like these either, so it was nice to show off a cool gadget. ;)

Oh, and while I know this is NOT the point of the product, one of my favorite parts is actually that black and green case up there. I’ll admit, even during a review like this, I didn’t carry the headphones in the case. Instead, I put all my other little cords and gadgets in it because it was a hard plastic that would protect them, hehe. While my Flips are hanging on rack next to my desk, the case is on the other side, holding things like my camera and flash drives.

Special deal for you (valid until July 16th…sorry I was late getting this to you!):

Purchase online at: http://www.flipsaudio.com/ and use the code FA0010INT. You’ll save 10 bucks and get upgraded rush shipping for no extra cost.

Disclosure: Obviously Flips sent me these, via FuelMyBlog. All of the standard stuff about opinions being my own can be assumed. After all, if they were Flips’ opinions, they probably wouldn’t have admitted to putting other gadgets in the case, nor would they have been so crazy late getting it to you!

Creepy piano juggler

The guy is good. He combines juggling with playing piano….and throws in a creepy puppet in a rocking chair and a mark that won’t stop staring. What more could you ask for?

Jessie the Talking Sheep

God I really hope I don’t sound like that…

World’s Weirdest Hotels (Guest Post)

Hotels used to be straightforward. A place whereby the weary traveller could rest his/her tired body in a clean bed with an option of breakfast in the morning. As a function they are used by businessmen and women, holidaymakers and couples.  These days however, there is an increasing focus on a move towards themes. This is something which has become ever more apparent as the recession has made competition so fierce that other marketing strategies have become necessary. Themed hotels have proved a success as their popularity is clear. Kids in particular appreciate the extra excitement involved in staying in a non conventional hotel. Whilst this is all very good for business, there are some themed establishments which really are questionable and maybe should never have become a themed hotel in the first place.

Lego Land (UK)

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Lego is a favorite toy the world over and has passed down from generation to generation but isn’t it going a little far to base a hotel on childhood memories? As one might expect, the rooms are rather obviously child orientated. There are even themed restaurants to ensure you can never get away from the branding. This themed hotel in Windsor is however, strangely popular, especially with parents and AFOL (adult fans of Lego).

Plane Hotel (Costa Rica)

You have most likely travelled a few hours on a plane to get to your foreign destination, so this is the last place you would want to spend your fortnight once you get there. Hotel Costa Verde situated in a jungle in Costa Rica is one such place. It is basically a hotel built from the salvaged fuselage of a 1965 Boeing 727.

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Ice Hotel (Canada)

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It seems rather strange to construct a hotel from a substance which is liable to melt. Made purely of snow and ice, the hotel is located just a few minutes away from Quebec. The concept is so ridiculous that it has to be rebuilt every month by over 50 workers. Guests also have to sleep in special arctic sleeping bags which surely is an experience one would pay to avoid!

Prison Hotel (USA)

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This one takes the biscuit. Why oh why would any sane individual want to bed down in a prison as part of their hotel stay? Well this is exactly what you’d get if you stay at the Liberty Hotel in Boston. The creepy, albeit luxury hotel is formerly an actual prison where real violent criminals would have shared the same space as you.  It’s hard to image a place like this being conducive to a good night’s sleep. Of course, there is never a shortage of thrill seekers out there!

Dog Bark Inn (USA)

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The saying goes ‘only in America’ and this certainly applies to this establishment. The hotel (or Bed &Breakfast technically) is actually built inside the body of a giant Beagle dog. The hotel sleeps only four guests with the toilet being disguised as a fire extinguisher. Sure there are lots of dog lovers out there but this is just… (Barking?)

So there you have it, 5 unusual themed hotels for your consideration from the people at Thorpe Breaks – what’s the weirdest hotel you’ve ever seen? Did you stay?

In the land of Procrasti-Nation

Amen to that! This is actually one of my favorite images that I have seen recently.

Even people who aren’t huge procrastinators can certainly relate to this. But a true procrastinator has travelled the world 10 times over….daily. I love the “Isle get it done” especially. Hehe.

When I die, delete my browser history

Medical Alert bracelets are usually  to signal to emergency medics if you have a potentially life threatening issue. That might be something like epilepsy, autism, food allergies, etc.

This one, though, is to replace the age old “hey buddy, if I ever die, there’s a box in the back of my closet…..”

In my case, deleting my browser history would simply clear up a couple gigs worth of junk. :P I practically never clear it and I visit hundreds of sites daily. Oops.

The most easily scared man in the world

Haha!

I didn’t think I would enjoy this video at all. I started getting bored only a few seconds in. This guy really is over-the-top jumpy, though, even if he’s expecting to get scared. Too funny.

What do men and women wear to formal functions?

That looks about right, huh?

I hate trying to figure out what to wear to weddings and whatnot. Guys have it so much easier. Even if they’re overdressed, they still look great and it’s acceptable. When women overdress, all the attention gets put on them and it’s not always appropriate at all.

Advantages and Disadvantages of iPhone App Development

With the launch of iPhone 5 and the latest iOS 6, the hype over iPhone has risen like never before. Most users are updating their devices like the iPad, iPhone, and Mac machine to the latest iOS 6 as well. The iPhone has gained attention among both developers as well as users alike. The rising popularity of the device has also made way in developing various applications. The apps are developed based on the customer demand and the market trends. Most App developers consider iOS platform to launch their apps due to its user friendly and interactive nature.

There are few common reasons why most developers choose the iPhone platform.

• Due to the popularity of the iPhone 5 and iOS 6, the Smartphone sector is mostly dominated by iPhone. There are ample opportunities in this sector for developers to build user friendly applications in the field of entertainment, navigation, multimedia, sports, games, and much more.
• The Software Development Kit (SDK) of the iPhone can be used by the developers to create and launch their apps in the Apple App store. The apple SDK provides all necessary tools for the iPhone app development. There are various companies who are successful in developing and launching huge number of apps for iOS platform. The developers can be hired to build apps based on the client idea.
• The iPhone apps and its popularity. The iPhone apps can be utilized to perform various tasks, like browsing the web, games, entertainment, personal data, etc.

Even though there are multiple advantages regarding the iPhone platforms, there are few hitches to it. The few notable disadvantages include -

• One of the biggest difficulties faced by most iPhone users is that they cannot run two apps simultaneously at a same time. When the user is busy on one application, he can choose to run another app by closing the first one.  
• The iOS platform does not allow its users to utilize third party applications unless it is jailbroken. A Jailbreak helps the user to access new apps, various extensions, themes, etc. that cannot be accessed directly from the Apple App Store.
• Yet another issue faced by iPhone users is the Bluetooth connectivity. The Bluetooth file transfer is allowed between two iPhone users alone. The iPhone user cannot share or transfer a file to other vendor devices.
  
  

AUTHOR BIO:

Julian Robert, based in New Hampshire, is a copywriter at Zco Corporation and is interested in iPhone app development and mobile technology.

Zippo Emergency Fire Starter Giveaway

I first started getting this giveaway lined up for you guys back in September.

You know....that month that wasn't last month, but the one before that? Yeah...

That month way back when was also Disaster Preparedness Month, which is why this giveaway was so timely and fitting. That may have passed, but the need to stay prepared has not.

Seeing as how part of the reason I wasn't able to get to this sooner was because Hurricane Sandy hit my area and then was followed up by a lovely nor'easter, I think now is just as fitting as ever. I have been talking to people on a daily basis now who are still without power or are scared they may lose it again at any time, and they simply aren't prepared for it.

One of my biggest concerns throughout all of this were the people who were without power. With winds being upwards of 45+ miles per hour....and the temperatures dropping below 30.... those people without power were also without heat usually. Ouch.

An easy source of heat is fire obviously, which is how this giveaway comes into play. In addition to all the basics like food and water, having a few different sources to create fire are pretty key.

Zippo sent me their emergency starter kit to try out and is offering up one for this giveaway, too. It doesn't rely on a flame in order to start a fire. Instead, it's a flint wheel plus waxed tinder sticks that are stored inside a waterproof case. This way, when you realize you don't have any working lighters or that your matches have gotten wet, you still have a source for fire. It may sound simple, but it could make the difference between life and death.

So how do you get yours? Easy. 

~Edit~

Oh! And if you have never used the Rafflecopter widget before, you do *not* need an account. That little button that says "log in" is only for you to put your name and email address in so that I can contact you at the end if you win. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

8 Ways to Entertain Your Children (Guest)

Today's guest post is brought you by Angelina Lawson. Thanks! 

When you are blessed with a family, you are always searching for different ways to entertain your children. You want to enrich their lives, make sure they enjoy themselves and have quality time together. If you find yourself in London, there are a host of things you can do to occupy your children. Plan ahead and use a little creativity to keep everyone actively engaged.

1. Take a look at the box office and discover what the London theatre has to offer. There are many excellent theatres in London and family-oriented shows are always part of their productions. Currently, "The Wizard of Oz," "Lion King the Musical" and "Shrek the Musical" are only few of the most popular choices that are intended for children but it is no surprise to find that it will be enjoyed by the entire family also.

2. When planning your visit to the London theatre, make a day of it. Stop in at the Harrod's to do a little shopping before the show and then find a place to enjoy a meal to finish off your experience.

3. Try a London theatre scavenger hunt or I Spy. When everyone is settled in the theatre, waiting for their Box Office show to begin, ask your children to find different things in the theatre. You may be thinking of a particular movie poster, a person in the audience or something at the concession stand but your kids will find things that might have skipped your notice.

4. Take a Thames River tour. If your box office show is in the evening, you'll have an entire day ahead of you. A journey on the Thames will give you an entirely different perspective of Britain's capital.

5. Go on a walking tour of the city. There are so many highlights such as the Tower of London, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. Be sure to stop and visit all of your favourites.

6. Pack a picnic and head to the park. Your picnic can be before or after the show at the London theatre. The children will enjoy the fresh air, can have some physical activity and then settle down for a bite to eat.

7. Take a trip on the train. Choose a destination that everyone has always wanted to visit and do a little exploration on the railway. Tickets are inexpensive and there is so much of interest to see.

8. Spend the night in a hotel or bed and breakfast. Children love the excitement of an overnight.

Do glasses make you funnier? (Guest)

(Thanks to Victoria for this guest post)
Do glasses make you funnier?
According to a report in March, some of Britain’s top comedians are earning up to £20million a year. With such enormous success, it’s easy to notice just how many of these funny stars wear glasses. For all celebrities, creating a memorable look can be essential for gaining popularity a good reputation. Could their glasses be partly a reason for their success? Let’s take a look at the top comedians and their choice of glasses...
Harry Hill has enjoyed years of success and gained a reputation as a quirky oddball with a unique zany sense of humour. For Harry, his clothing and overall image are a huge part of his slapstick comedy act, such as his platform shoes and oversized shirt collar. His glasses are no exception to this character and add to his wacky image. He favours a pair of semi-rimless frames in a winged black shape.
Next up it’s Stephen Merchant, best friend of Ricky Gervais and all-round funny guy. Stephen always plays the geeky character, and his glasses fit this style perfectly, but unlike Harry’s more extrovert frames, Stephen prefers the basic rectangular frame shape. For Stephen, his comedy act largely relies upon his nerdy character, so a pair of simple frames is the perfect addition.
Renowned as one of the kings of early comedy, Ronnie Corbett’s recognisable look is due partly to his eyewear. The times may have drastically changed since his comedy debut in 1970, but Ronnie’s glasses have largely remained the same. Ronnie likes the large round lens shape of glasses in a classic retro style. Ronnie is often characterised by his height and dark glasses frames, so perhaps creating a unique and recognisable look is one way to begin a successful comedy career.
For the female comediennes such as Sue Perkins and Sarah Millican, a narrow rectangular glasses frame is the style of choice. Sue and Sarah are universally popular for their acute sense of wit, so their eyewear needs to be taken seriously. Unlike the quirky slapstick humour of Harry Hill, these comediennes rely on intelligent observations and anecdotes for their acts, so simpler frame styles suit them perfectly.
Alan Carr is famous as much for his look and voice as he is for his chatty, frivolous sense of humour. Alan is never seen without his black rectangular glasses frames and having won over 10 awards for his comedy act, it is clear that the right pair of glasses can help secure notoriety as a memorable comedian.
With so many successful celebrity comedians choosing spectacles over contact lenses, perhaps it is worth asking whether glasses really can make you funny. But whether they rely on slapstick humour or witty observations, the right pair of glasses can be the ideal tool to mould their chosen image.
Victoria writes for Direct Sight, a site to buy glasses online.

Glow in the Dark Car Paint May Increase Driver Safety (Guest)

(Thanks to Paul for this guest post)

Glow in the Dark Car Paint May Increase Driver Safety

Drivers are always looking for ways to increase safety and decrease accidents. Car manufacturers equip cars with reverse cameras, motion sensors, and vibrating seats that alert you when a car is approaching at a dangerous speed. But the answer to nighttime driver safety may just be a paintjob. Glow in the dark paint not only adds style to your car, but may also help in reducing nighttime accidents.

How it Works

Glow in the dark paint has been used for all types of products to add a little flare and fun. With the introduction of glow in the dark paint on automobiles, car owners are styling their cars like never before. The look is like something out of a science fiction movie. The paint is invisible during the day, but at night the car lights up and shows off the colors.

The paint is made from nano-particle blends of non-organic materials. They are environmentally safe and made from recyclable materials. These particles are spherical shaped and so small they look like a powder. The powder is an additive that can be mixed into a variety of different clear paints. It comes in a range of colors from blue, to red, and even yellow. Each layer will offer more color in the dark, so it is suggested that 4 or 5 layers are applied to the car.

One it is dried, the particles use the sun to "charge" them the same way most glow in the dark materials do. In the dark the colors come alive and the areas the paint was applied to begins to glow.



Benefits of Glow in the Dark Car Paint

One of the most common causes of accidents at night is the failure to see the other car. Even with headlights, taillights, and streetlights, drivers are still at risk. With glow in the dark car paint, this would help eliminate the issue. Who wouldn't see a brightly glowing blue car in the middle of the night?

Another common problem with driving at night is drivers that simply forget to turn on their headlights until it is too late. Those drivers would still be seen if their cars glowed. As well as those drivers who are unable to see parked cars if they forget to turn on their headlights, if the parked car also glowed in the dark.

Is it street legal?

Depending on your local law, will depend on whether or not glow in the dark car paint is street legal. In many areas there are laws against adding florescent lights or additional lighting beneath the car or license plate area. In the car modification world, these are quite popular. However, under the laws, it states that powered lights are not permitted. With glow in the dark paint not being powered by bulbs, it often does not fall under the restrictions.

However, before you paint your entire car a glowing turquoise blue, check with your local laws to make sure it is legal. This will help avoid citations as well as the added cost of getting your car repainted.

Paul Ketzle lives and writes in London. He writes for www.carinsurance.org.uk where you can find more information on car insurance, trips, and tips for saving money when you drive

The Internet Meme Medley

via my sister

Over 40 internet memes condensed into a single musical video. :)

(Shhh, I’m playing catchup…yes, I realize how long ago you sent this to me)

70 Amazing Photos - Scary kitty balancing on balcony

 Check out the rest of the pictures at DPShots.

I may have a tab issue

Cyanide and Happiness

What do color blind people see?

This is what happens every time a person finds out another person is color blind. Beware: Says the ‘F’ word toward the end rather loudly, but it’s worth it. Just don’t listen while your boss is nearby unless he’s one of those really cool bosses that will love this sort of thing.

Guy describing color blindness - Funny video

Remixed eHarmony cat dating profile - Can’t hug every cat

If you haven't seen the original, you might want to check it out, too. Basically, a girl does a video for her eHarmony dating profile, and it turns into lots of tears and cat talk. The Songify version? Remixed, set to music, autotuned, and filled with cat video clips.

Don’t you just love the internet?

Blind kitty acts as a normal cat

Meet Oskar.

Oskar’s eyeballs never formed, so his eyelids are fused together and he is completely blind.

But if you watch this video of him from the day after he was adopted, he plays like a normal seeing kitty would….and is just as adorable. :)